The Other One
by saraiza
Summary: James and Lily had twins, one whom would become known as the Boy-Who-Lived, while the other was mentioned only in passing. When Harry Potter began his education at Hogwarts, there was no mention of his twin brother for he had not come along. After all, Hogwarts doesn't accept children who seemingly have no magic running through their veins. [Full summary inside].
1. Strange Looking Smoke

The Other One

So, I don't own Harry Potter...Damn.

Summary: James and Lily had twins, one whom would become known as the Boy-Who-Lived, while the other was mentioned only in passing. When Harry Potter began his education at Hogwarts, there was no mention of his twin brother for he had not come along. After all, Hogwarts doesn't accept children who seemingly have no magic running through their veins. But was that the case with the other Potter?

* * *

_July 1991_

Harry James and Ian Sirius Potter. Born 31 July 1980 to James and Lily Potter. They weren't identical twins. Harry had their father's messy jet black hair and their mother's bright green eyes while Ian had curly brown hair that wasn't from either of his parents, but he had his father's hazel eyes. Also, Harry had an unusual lightning-bolt scar on his forehead.

The two brothers lived with their Aunt Petunia, their mother's sister, and her family. They had lost their parents, according to their aunt, in a car accident when they were only a year old. Neither boy could remember their parents, and they only remembered what they looked like thanks to an old photograph that had been hidden in an old box in the Dursley home of Privet Drive.

The Dursley home held four bedrooms, enough to fit the three Dursley's and two Potter twins. This was not the case, for one room went to Aunt Petunia and her large husband, Uncle Vernon, and another two went to cousin Dudley, who had his mother's blond hair and his uncle's large frame. The remaining room was kept for Uncle Vernon's sister, Marge.

Where did Harry and Ian sleep, though? If anyone outside of the Dursley home asked, the answer would be in Dudley's second bedroom, which was full of broken and unused toys and books, things Dudley had no interest in. The real answer was crueler, for the Potter twins were forced to sleep in the cupboard under the stairs. It had been a long time since the tiny, spider-infested space had fit both boys. There was a small bed inside the cupboard, but it didn't fit both boys. Every night, one brother would sleep on top of the bed, while the other slept under it. It was not ideal in the slightest, but it was the best that the boys could do.

Tonight, it was Ian who was under the bed. It was uncomfortable for the taller of the two brothers. He had to pull his knees up against his chest, or at least partially because he had grown quite a bit, though he was only an inch or two taller than his older twin brother. He also had to deal with his brother shifting in his sleep, but he didn't complain. He no doubt did it too in his sleep.

If only Harry was asleep.

"If we could be anywhere, where would we be?" Ian asked quietly. He didn't want to wake up the Dursley's, they were nasty towards him and his brother during the day, but they were far worse after being woken up in the middle of the night.

"Somewhere where we both belong," Ian heard from his green-eyed brother. Harry moved a bit in the bed, causing it to creak and clatter against the ground.

"Why do they hate us so much?" Harry questioned.

Ian frowned, unsure of how to answer that question. "Maybe they're jealous of our good looks," the boy said, his joke falling flat. Harry quietly laughed though, not willing to let his brother's words go unheard.

"I wonder what we did to make them so angry," Ian said, looking at a spider that was inches away from his face.

"Surviving what our parents didn't," Harry guessed, a bitter tone settling in his voice. "What other explanation is there?"

Ian didn't respond, he didn't need to. They probably would never receive an answer, not from the Dursley's, anyways.

* * *

_"Dad, look! Harry's got a letter!"_

Ian looked up from the eggs he was attempting not to burn. It was his morning to make breakfast, not that anyone other than him and Harry actually cooked. His brother was better when it came to operating the stove, he, after all, didn't once set it on fire. His arm still hurts from the burns, not to mention the violent swats Uncle Vernon had given him with an old leather belt. Of course, the cause of the fire was still a mystery to Ian. None of the burners had been on, and the fire didn't erupt from strange looking smoke.

Ian watched as his blond-haired cousin charged towards his father, his entire body swaying from one side to the other. An odd-looking letter was in the boy's hand.

With wide but small eyes, the beefy man tore it out of his equally large son's hands.

_"That's mine!" _Harry said, glaring at his uncle, who was staring down at the letter with anger and horror.

Slowly, the man looked back up at Harry and bolted out of his seat. Ian froze, while Harry winced and jumped back. Ian looked away when his uncle-by-marriage glared at him, before looking again back at the boy's twin brother, who didn't waver.

That was the beginning, Ian would come to learn. More letters with Harry's name came, but Uncle Vernon always managed to get to them before Harry could.

Ian remembered how, on the first night after the first letter, he could hear his aunt and uncle talking about him and his brother. He was on top of the bed, while Harry was below him, restlessly sleeping.

_"Why did only one receive a letter?" _Aunt Petunia said from the sitting room. Ian could hear them, for they didn't try to hide their words.

_"He was always the stranger one," _Uncle Vernon grunted. Ian knew that they were talking about him, and that made him shiver involuntarily. _"We should have done what we did to him to his brother."_

When he was younger, an odd incident had occurred that's always stuck with Ian. He had been running from Dudley and his group of troublesome friends, while Harry was with Mrs. Figg, helping her look for one of her blasted cats a few streets over. He had run out towards the Dursley home, far enough that he could no longer see Dudley and his friends, but stopped in the middle of the road. A car had been coming, but it never hit him. _It had gone through him._

He wouldn't have believed it, despite being there, had his uncle not of seen too. After all, it was his car that had almost hit him.

Ian flinched when he remembered how angry his uncle had been. He had been dragged right into the house, of course after Uncle Vernon had parked the car. His Aunt Petunia had also seen the incident and had coldly stared at him as her husband relentlessly beat on him.

_"P-please, stop it!" _Ian had cried, he must have been only 6-years-old. _"I-I-I won't do it again! I'm sorry, please stop!"_

Uncle Vernon didn't stop though, not when he heard those words. He had continued with his beating, which didn't stop until Ian had nearly stopped breathing. The boy remembered waking up on the kitchen floor, where the event had occurred. He was covered in blood, and his aunt was still staring down at him with hateful eyes.

_"Clean up your mess," _she had said to him. _"And if you speak a word of this to your brother, it will happen to him too."_

Ian believed her. He grew more fearful of his aunt and uncle after that day, but it was nothing in comparison as to his fear of himself. What he had done, it was unnatural. He didn't know what it was, though. How could he? The Dursley's were completely against anything unnatural, and now Ian was the very thing they hated. Not long after, whenever he got himself worked up, strange smoke would appear. It never went far, and it often didn't last longer than a few seconds, but it was there none other the less.

Ian could hear his brother's breathing. It was never good for him to dwell on the past, it always made him feel nervous, and that was never good when it came to his unusual...ability. He saw the same spider from before, it was crawling on his hand, but he didn't swat it away. It didn't do anything to him, so why should he harm it?

* * *

_31 July 1991_

Harry and Ian's uncle had finally cracked. After the sitting room was flooded with so many letters, he packed everyone up and took them to an island that was in the middle of nowhere.

Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia were in the little room upstairs, while Dudley was snoring on the sofa. The Potter twins were on the ground next to the fireplace.

"Happy birthday, Harry," Ian said to his brother softly.

"Happy birthday, little brother," Harry replied as he looked at his twin.

"I'm only younger than you by a few minutes."

"You're still younger than me, which means that it's my job to protect you."

Ian's lip twitched, but he didn't smile, nor did he frown. His brother didn't know, and that's how it was going to stay. For now, at least. He didn't want to worry Harry, didn't want to get him into trouble. Ian closed his eyes, though they didn't remain as such for long.

Not until the wooden door fell to the ground and the biggest man he had ever seen was on the other side.

* * *

So, what do you think? Should I continue?

I know there might be some mistakes, so I apologize.

Please, review, like, and/or follow. That would great.

Until next time...


	2. A Boy with an Unusual Story

The Other One

So, I don't own Harry Potter...Damn.

Thanks to those who have followed, favored and/or reviewed.

* * *

_Previously..._

_"Happy birthday, Harry," Ian said to his brother softly._

_"Happy birthday, little brother," Harry replied as he looked at his twin._

_"I'm only younger than you by a few minutes."_

_"You're still younger than me, which means that it's my job to protect you."_

_Ian's lip twitched, but he didn't smile, nor did he frown. His brother didn't know, and that's how it was going to stay. For now, at least. He didn't want to worry Harry, didn't want to get him into trouble. Ian closed his eyes, though they didn't remain as such for long._

_Not until the wooden door fell to the ground and the biggest man he had ever seen was on the other side._

* * *

_31 July 1991_

"Sorry about that," Ian heard as the larger than life man entered. The boy watched with wide eyes as the man picked the door off of the ground and set it against the doorframe. The man had a wild, tangled beard and shaggy hair. Ian could just make out the man's dark eyes. He was also soaking wet, which didn't shock Ian because of the storm that was roaring outside.

The man, who could have been a giant, looked down at Harry and Ian, who both were now standing as the Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia came rushing down the stairs. Ian saw that his uncle was carrying a shotgun. When had he gotten that?

"Well, look at you two boys!" The giant said with a boisterous laugh. "Las' time I saw you two, you were little babes!" The man looked at Harry, at first eyeing his scar before looking away. "Harry! Yeh look jus' like yer dad, but you've got your mum's eyes." His dark eyes then settled on Ian, who somehow didn't look away. "An' Ian! You took after yer mum, but you've got your dad's eyes."

_"I demand you leave at once!" _Uncle Vernon roared as he pointed the shotgun at Hagrid, though his hands were shaking. "You are breaking and entering!"

"Oh, shut up, Dursley!" The man said as he charged towards Uncle Vernon and grabbed the shotgun out of his hands. As though he was holding a bendable pencil in his hands, he bent into a knot and threw it off to the side.

Ian wanted to grin at the sound his uncle made but stopped himself before he could.

"Well then," the man said as he turned away from the Dursley's, "very happy birthday to yeh two. I've got something for you two. I might of sat on it at some point, but it'll taste alright."

Harry and Ian watched as the giant pulled out a squished box from the inside of his coat. Harry took the box and opened it to find a sticky chocolate cake.

_Happy Birthday Harry and Ian _were written on the cake with green icing.

"Who are you?" Ian heard from his brother, causing him to look up from the cake.

The man chuckled, "Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts."

"Hogwarts?" Ian asked, unable to hide his curiosity. "What's that?"

"What's Hogwarts?" Hagrid sputtered, his eyes growing wide at the boy's question. "What do yeh mean 'what's Hogwarts'?" It's only the best wizarding school in the world!"

"Wizarding school?" Harry questioned, equally confused.

Ian looked away upon hearing this. Wizarding school. Wizard. Were he and Harry wizards? It made sense, the boy thought. How else could he explain what had happened to him all those years ago? Could it explain the funny looking smoke that appeared around him whenever he was upset?

"We've got magic, don't we?" Ian asked, interrupting the argument Hagrid and Uncle Veron were suddenly having.

Suddenly, everyone was looking at Ian, who looked down.

He only looked up when he heard a chuckle escape past Hagrid's lips.

"Smart boy, aren't ya?" He said, looking at Ian, who lightly smiled back. "Both of you've got it, magic."

"What?" Harry said in disbelief. "We-we don't have magic, though. We're just...We don't...How?"

"Yer a wizard, Harry," Hagrid said to Ian's twin brother. "Jus' like yer mum and dad." He dug his hands deep into his pockets and pulled out two letters. He read them the envelopes and gave the correct one to each boy. "You never received one, Ian, because you've got something different about ya."

Ian frowned but nodded as he tore open his letter.

_Dear Mr. Potter,_

_My name is Albus Dumbledore, the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I am sorry to say, dear boy, that this is unfortunately not your letter of acceptance. You have magic, but magic that is not easy to control, therefore we must come up with a different plan for you. I should have been in contact with you and your brother right from the start, and I am terribly sorry for what has happened to you._

Does he know about what happened? Ian read the rest of the letter with a grimace on his face.

_You will leave with Mr. Hagrid and your brother, and journey with them to a pub called the Leaky Cauldron. Go to the bartender, Tom, and tell him that you are there to see me and a man called Remus Lupin. Mr. Hagrid already knows that you are not to come with him and Harry to their next location, but that you will be nearby and safe._

_We will discuss your options then._

_Sincerely,_

_Albus Percival Wilfric Brian Dumbledore_

_Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_

* * *

The Leaky Cauldron was rather dark and shabby inside, not that the outside was any better. It was packed with people in funny-looking clothing.

"The usual, Hagrid?" The bald man behind the bar asked.

"Can't Tom, I'm on Hogwarts business," Hagrid said before looking down at Ian. "Yer ta go with him, Ian. I'll keep an eye on yer brother."

Ian nodded. He looked at Harry, who was confused.

"Why does-

"I'll be fine, Harry," Ian said quietly. He gave his brother a grin, though he wasn't too sure if his brother believed it was a genuine smile. "You go get what you need, and I'll do the same here."

Harry frowned, but nodded at his brother, who walked towards Tom the bartender.

"I'm here to see Albus Dumbledore and Remus Lupin," Ian said as the bartender looked at him.

"Of course," Tom said and motioned for him to walk with him. "Follow me, lad."

Ian did as he was told, and followed the bald man through a door that was behind the bar. He led the boy into the parlor, where two men sat in uncomfortable looking chairs. There was a desk in the room, along with a little table. The two men were sitting at the table.

One of the men, who had a long white beard, stood as Tom and Ian entered the room.

"Thank you, Tom," the man with the beard said to the bartender.

"It's no trouble at all, Professor," Tom said before leaving the room.

The man, no, the Professor, gave Ian a friendly smile as he motioned for the boy to sit down. Ian did so and sat down on the empty chair at the table. He looked at the other man, who had amber-colored eyes and appeared to be worn out. Still, gave Ian a small smile.

"You're the Headmaster? Of Hogwarts?" Ian asked, looking back at the old man, who nodded.

"I am," Dumbledore said as he took his seat. "And you're Ian Potter, a boy with an unusual story."

Ian frowned but nodded. "You said in your letter that I have magic that's not easy to control, and that we would talk about it."

Dumbledore nodded, "Indeed, all this is true," he sighed and brought out an old looking letter. "I want you to read this, Ian. Tell me if it all is true."

Frowning, Ian took the letter and silently read it.

_"Dear Professor,_

_Something's happened to one of the Potter boy's, the younger one. Ian. He had been running from his cousin and appeared to had been hit by a car. The car didn't hit him though, it went through him. The boy's uncle was driving the car and had seen it. He dragged the boy inside by his ear, I could have sworn to hear him screaming. I couldn't go and check on him though, I knew it would expose our agreement. His brother was with me, but he didn't appear to see what had happened. I made sure he didn't go home until the next day. I phoned the Dursley's and told them I would need Harry for the night, so he could help look for one of my cats. I haven't seen Harry's brother yet, even after his brother, uncle, and cousin left the house._

_He knows, though. There's no way that he doesn't know. His uncle must know this. You must go to their house, Professor. I've heard rumors about how that man treats those two boys, and now one of them knows why he does it. I also know what happens to young witches and wizards who are suddenly afraid of what's inside them because of horrid experiences._

_Arabella Figg_

Ian looked up and saw how Dumbledore avoided looking at him.

"You knew?"

"I knew," Dumbledore responded, a shameful look crossing his wrinkled face. "But I did not want to believe it."

Ian frowned as he looked into the man's twinkling blue eyes. "What now?"

Dumbledore sighed as he took in the boy's angered face. "Now, we will attempt to help control your magic, or at least have a better understanding of it."

Ian's face fell slightly, "how?"

Dumbledore looked at the man on Ian's other side. "That is where Mr. Lupin here comes in, Ian. He is different from you, but has an understanding of having something that is not easy to contain."

Ian looked at the man, Lupin, who gave him a quick smile. It was then that the boy saw the scars on the man's face. How did they get there?

"You're going to come stay with me while your brother attends school, Ian," Lupin told the boy. "Keep you away from your relatives, and in an enviroment, that's safer."

Ian looked down. "And what about my own education?"

"There's a nearby school where I live," Lupin stated. "You'll be enrolled there. I would teach you myself, but my non-magical education stopped when I attended Hogwarts."

Ian nodded as he looked at Lupin. "Why help me? You don't know me."

Lupin sighed, "that's where you're wrong, Ian." He looked away for a few moments before looking back at Ian. "You're parents, they named me your godfather when you were born."

Horrified, Ian could only stare at Lupin as he continued, "After your parents died, you were given to your aunt and uncle. You should have gone to me, but for some reason that didn't happen."

"Oh." Ian looked back at Dumbledore. "Your friend, Hagrid, said that he knew my brother and me when we were little. Did he take us to the Dursley's?"

Dumbledore nodded. "I asked him too. It was the safest option at the time, after what had happened to your parents."

"It was never safe there," Ian said, glaring at the man. "Harry and me, we were never safe there. Maybe from what you thought would hurt us, but not from the ones that should have raised us."

"I know that now," Dumbledore said. "I will try to make up for it. For both you and your brother." Ian watched as the man stood. "When Hagrid comes back, you and Harry will leave with Mr. Lupin here. He will watch over your brother until he is to leave for school. Does that sound alright with you?"

Ian frowned but agreed with a nod of his head. For now, it would be, at least.

"Do you have any questions, Ian?" Dumbledore asked, looking down at the boy.

"What am I?" Ian asked. "If I have magic, but I can't control; then I'm not really a wizard, am I?"

Dumbledore frowned, "you are a wizard, but there is a term that is used for someone like you." He looked back at the door before looking at Ian. "You must promise to never tell anyone about this word, or how it is connected to you. Not even your brother can know."

"I promise."

"You are an Obscurial, Ian," Dumbledore revealed. "It is where young witches and wizards consciously repress their magical talents as a way of avoiding bodily or emotional harm from individuals who seek to suppress the child's abilities."

"Oh."

* * *

So, what do you think?

I know there might be some mistakes, so I apologize.

Please, review, like, and/or follow. That would great.

Until next time...

Review(s):

Annoyed Guest: Thank you for the review. To clarify, Ian's magic wasn't beaten out of him. He still has it, but he doesn't know how to use it properly. He's knowingly repressed his magic, which only comes out when he's stressed. I probably didn't word it correctly when Ian was cooking breakfast, and how he had somehow started a fire without turning on the stove's burners. I apologize for that if there was any confusion.


	3. Where We Were

The Other One

So, I don't own Harry Potter...Damn.

Thanks to those who have followed, favored and/or reviewed.

* * *

_Previously..._

_"What am I?" Ian asked. "If I have magic, but I can't control; then I'm not really a wizard, am I?"_

_Dumbledore frowned, "you are a wizard, but there is a term that is used for someone like you." He looked back at the door before looking at Ian. "You must promise to never tell anyone about this word, or how it is connected to you. Not even your brother can know."_

_"I promise."_

_"You are an Obscurial, Ian," Dumbledore revealed. "It is where young witches and wizards consciously repress their magical talents as a way of avoiding bodily or emotional harm from individuals who seek to suppress the child's abilities."_

_"Oh."_

* * *

_31 July 1991_

Harry couldn't help but worry about his twin brother. He didn't know why Ian hadn't gotten a letter like him.

"Hagrid," Harry said as he looked at the large man. They were sitting outside of an ice cream parlor, with Harry eating chocolate and raspberry flavored ice cream. "Why didn't Ian come with us? He's got magic, right?" He remembered how Hagrid had mentioned that they both had magic, but that his brother was different.

Harry saw how the man's face fell at this.

"I was only sayin' that to make yer brother feel better, Harry," Hagrid admitted to the boy. "I didn't want to be the one to tell 'im."

"Tell him what?"

"That he's not a wizard," Hagrid revealed. "He's something us wizards call a Squib, someone who is born into magical families, but don't have any to call their own."

Harry frowned. "Is that why he didn't come with us?"

Hagrid nodded, "I didn't want ta get his hopes up when he found out."

"You're not going to send him back to the Dursley's, are you?"

Hagrid looked scandalized at the question and said, "that's the last thing I'd ever do to yer brother!" The large wizard than sighed. "He'll be stayin' with a wizard Professor Dumbledore trusts. You will too until ya go to Hogwarts."

"Really?"

Hagrid nodded, "You and your brother will be safe with him, if that what troubles you."

Harry said nothing as he took a bite out of his ice cream. His brother didn't have magic, but he did. It didn't seem fair to Harry. He also worried about leaving his brother and going to Hogwarts. How would they talk to one another? Something told Harry that the wizarding world wasn't familiar with telephones since they easily could have called his aunt and uncle's house instead of the hundreds of letters that had come to Privet Drive. Also, _would _his brother be safe with a man they've never met? Especially when he's left for Hogwarts?

"...I still haven't gotten you and yer brother a birthday present," Harry heard, pulling him from his thoughts, and his ice cream.

Harry looked at Hagrid, frowning. "You don't have-

Hagrid waved the boy off, "I know I don't have to, but I want to. I'll get you both animals."

Harry frowned as Hagrid listed off the kind of animals he and Ian could get and reigned to just agreeing with the man by the end of it. It would be a nice surprise for Ian, neither of them had any good ones in the past.

* * *

It was late when Harry and Hagrid returned to the Leaky Cauldron. A man with scars on his face and greying sandy brown hair was waiting for the two. At least, that's what Harry hoped when the man waved them over to his table. He was alone and wearing shabby-looking clothing.

"Remus Lupin, it's good to see you," Hagrid said as he greeted the man, who gave him a tired smile.

"As to you, Hagrid," Lupin said before his eyes wandered towards Harry. He momentarily looked surprised, before giving the boy a slightly awkward smile. "And you must be Ian's brother, Harry."

Secretly relieved to not hear an amazed or awed tone in the man's voice, Harry smiled. "Hello, Mr. Lupin."

Lupin waved the boy off as Harry and Hagrid sat. "Please, Harry, call me Remus. I had to tell your brother that earlier, but he's more stubborn."

"You've seen my brother?"

Lupin nodded, "he's up in the room I rented for the night. It's too late for us to be going back to my home in Yorkshire."

Harry nodded, understanding. "Is he alright?"

"He fell asleep not too long ago," Lupin revealed. "I didn't want to wake him, so I came out here to wait for you and Hagrid to return." He then looked down and saw the two cages at Harry's feet. One held a sleeping snowy owl, while the other held a kneazle with black fur speckled with grey spots.

"Birthday presents for the boys," Hagrid admitted sheepishly when he saw the surprised look on Lupin's face.

"Of course," Lupin said, nodding as he looked at Hagrid. "Should I be glad neither animal is a niffler?"

Hagrid snorted. "Don't worry, Lupin. I wouldn't do that to you. I know those little buggers can be a handful."

Harry wasn't sure what a niffler was but was too tired to ask. He yawned and looked at Lupin. "Um, what room are we staying in?"

Remus lifted his scarred hands from the table and dug into a pocket in his jacket. He handed the boy a key and told him the room number.

"I'll be up soon," Lupin told Harry, who nodded as he stood up. Lupin looked at the boy's things and said, "I'll bring up your trunk and put it in my room for the night, but I would appreciate it if you took the animals up to you and your brother's room."

Harry nodded, "alright, thank you, Mr. Lu-Remus."

Lightly smiling, Lupin nodded, "sleep well, Harry and happy birthday."

"Night, Harry," Hagrid added.

Harry smiled and nodded. "Good night." He grabbed the animal cages and walked up to the room Ian was in. He unlocked the door and entered. The only light in the room was coming from a candle next to the bed. Harry could make out Ian's unconscious form, he was curled up under the blanket.

Harry unlocked the cages. The kneazle eyed everything in the room but didn't explore. He, or at least according to Hagrid, jumped on to the bed and laid down next to Ian's feet. The owl, meanwhile, flew right to a little owl perch that was next to the wooden table.

Sighing, Harry tore off his shoes and climbed into the bed. He was careful not to wake Ian up, but he did steal some of the covers and fell asleep.

* * *

_1 August 1991_

Something was licking Ian's face. It was scratchy and irritating. The 11-year-old tried to swat whatever it was away, but it didn't stop. Finally, the boy groaned and opened his eyes, only to see the weirdest looking cat he's ever seen. It had clear, pale green eyes and strange looking ears...and was that a lion's tail on its backside?

Looking up, Ian saw Harry feeding a snowy white owl.

"Why does this cat look like it's half-lion and half-nightmare?"

Harry looked at his brother and smirked, "according to Hagrid, he's a kneazle."

"Oh...brilliant?"

Groggily, Ian got out of bed after hesitantly petting the kneazle, who nuzzled its face up against his hand.

"He's your birthday present from Hagrid," Harry explained as the two boys sat down at the table. Harry looked at the owl, "and that's mine, I'm not sure what I should call her yet."

Ian nodded as he looked towards the door, "is Mr. Lupin and Mr. Hagrid coming back soon?"

"Remus is, but Hagrid had to leave," Harry explained. "He's getting some breakfast for us."

"Alright." Food sounded good to Ian, maybe because for once, he wasn't cooking it. Or burning it.

"We're not going back to them, you know."

"I know."

"Does it feel real?"

"Does what?" Harry asked.

"All this," Ian said as waved his hands around, motioning to the entire room. "You're a wizard, you get to go to a school to learn magic." He lightly frowned, "and I'm...just me."

Harry looked down, not sure how to comfort his brother.

"I doubt you'll be missing much," Harry said, in an attempt to defuse any awkwardness between him and his brother. "I met this boy in one of the shops, he wasn't very nice."

"What, like Dudley or..."

"Worse than Dudley, I think."

"Oh."

"Why do you always say 'oh'?"

Ian shrugged, "I don't know. I just do."

Harry nodded as the door unlocked, revealing Lupin on the other side. He was carrying a tray that held three plates of food, three empty mugs and a bottle of some sort of drink.

"Morning boys," Lupin said as he closed the door with his foot. He sat the tray down and passed the boy's two of the mugs, then two of the plates. "I hope you're hungry."

Ian watched as the man poured some of the drink into each of the mugs before he sat down and began to eat. Harry was already eating, but Ian was looking at his drink in curiosity.

"Mr. Lupin, what's in this?"

Lupin looked up and saw what the boy was asking about. "It's called butterbeer. It's a popular drink here in the wizarding world."

Ian nodded and took a drink of the butterbeer. It was sweet, kind of like butterscotch, but not as sweet as butterscotch. It tasted good to Ian, but he made sure not to drink all of it. He wanted to savor as much of it as he could.

"I like this," Ian said when he put the mug down.

"Like I said, very popular," Lupin agreed, "after breakfast, we're going to have to pack up and leave. There are still a few more things to do before we head to my home."

"Like what?" Harry asked.

"For starters, getting clothing that actually fits you both," Lupin said, a scowl appears on his feet, though not at all directed at the boys. "I doubt either of you want to keep wearing clothing ten times too big for you."

At this, both Harry and Ian looked down at their used clothing, and they couldn't help but agree.

"Where are we going to get the clothes though?" Ian asked.

"From a witch who's grandson has outgrown his clothing," Lupin answered, though leaving out the part that the boy was the Potter twins age and that the two brothers were far too small for the man's comfort. If he had known about the Dursley's poor treatment of Harry and Ian, Lupin would have done something about it much sooner. How did this go on for so long?

* * *

Ian never thought that they would leave Augusta Longbottom's home, not with all the praise she had for Harry, and the sweets she loaded into Ian's arms. She was the only one at her house, seeing as her grandson, Neville, was with his uncle, getting his Hogwarts supplies.

Lupin's rundown cottage was in the middle of nowhere. According to Lupin, he had managed to get an old but sturdy bunk bed from a distant neighbor who's son's had moved out. He also received clothing for the two boys but didn't know if the size was correct for them, hence their stop at Mrs. Longbottom's home.

"I know it's not much," Lupin said, looking at his home with contempt, "but I hope it's not too shabby."

"It's better than where we were before," Ian said, while Harry nodded in agreement.

Lupin appeared to be relieved and helped the boy's move their things into the bedroom he had set up for them. The bunk bed was up against the wall adjacent to the door, with mismatch comforters and pillows on both mattresses. There was a wardrobe in the room and a desk under the window. A bookcase was next to the desk, and a small closet was by the wardrobe.

The Potter brother's shared a look and smiled.

Maybe they would be alright.

* * *

So, what do you think?

I know there might be some mistakes, so I apologize.

Please, review, like, and/or follow. That would great.

Until next time...


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